- Date Of Birth: March 29, 1912
- Date Of Death: February 12, 2007
- State: Connecticut
Harry Walter Zaleski, 94, of Hartford, passed away peacefully on Monday February 12, 2007, at Avery Heights, Hartford, after a brave year-long fight with vascular & pulmonary disease. He was the fiercely and tenderly devoted caregiver to his beloved wife of 58 years, Frances (Rokosa) Zaleski, who survives him. Harry was born in Branford, CT on March 29, 1912, son of the late Baltazar and Michaelina (Mierzejwski) Zaleski. When he was nine, his family moved to Poland, where he lived until, at age 18, he returned to Branford. A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, Harry was a cabinet maker and carpenter, and retired from H.B. Sanson & Co., Newington after 30 years. Though he had little formal education, he was a skilled craftsman, and was the sole builder of his home on Styles Avenue in Newington, where he and his wife raised their daughter and lived for close to 50 years. A true gentleman, Harry was loved and respected by all who knew him for his feistiness, his unfailing sense of humor, his loyalty, and his strong opinions and commitment to expressing them!
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughter, Janice Klein and her husband, David, who Harry loved as his son, of Hartford. He also leaves his adored granddaughter, Jordan Klein, of Hartford, and his step-grandchildren and their families: Rebecca Klein, her husband Jason Qua and their children Gabriel & Georgia, of Suffield, and Adam Klein and his wife Jennette Kollmann, of Riverdale, New York.
In addition to his parents, he is predeceased by his brother Zigmund Zaleski of East Haven, and is survived by another brother, Matthew, in Poland, his sister-in-law Margaret Zaleski of East Haven, two nieces, and several great nieces & nephews. To his wife’s family, Harry was truly a beloved brother and uncle. He is survived by his sisters-in law Judith Grisamore, of Lake Bluff, IL, and Susan Woodcock of Tiverton, RI, and by 25 nieces and nephews, and numerous great nieces & nephews. He was pre-deceased by sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law Stanley Janas, Josephine Lozinski, Sophie Simpson, Philip & Muriel Rokosa and Helen Rokosa.
Harry’s family will always be deeply grateful to all the staff and caregivers at Avery Heights, both at the Heights apartments and at the Brainard Sub-Acute wing, for their never-ending love, support, patience and compassion.
